San Diego Padres Make Another Exciting International Signing, Ink Korean Closer

As the San Diego Padres continue to remake their roster in 2024, they are continuing to turn to the international ranks.

After recently signing Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui to a five-year deal, the team has also now signed Korean righty Woo Suk Go. No official report of the terms of the deal are out at this time.

Per Jeeho Yoo, a Korean Baseball Insider:

South Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk is on the verge of signing with the San Diego Padres, as his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club LG Twins gave him the green light Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, New York Post columnist Jon Heyman tweeted that Go was close to a deal with the Padres to be their closer, though no financial terms were immediately available.

Go had been posted for Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs in early December, and his 30-day negotiating window is scheduled to close at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Eastern Time, or 7 a.m. Thursday in South Korean time.

Go is 25-years-old. Here's more on him from MLBTradeRumors:

He has rattled off four seasons with a sub-4.00 ERA, including three campaigns allowing fewer than 2.20 earned runs per nine. Go surpassed 30 saves in each of 2019, ’21 and ’22. He has fanned more than 26% of batters faced in each of the last five years, topping the 30% mark in the last two seasons.

While Go has consistently shown the ability to miss bats, he hasn’t always been around the strike zone. He has walked more than 10% of opposing hitters in four of his seven seasons. Go issued free passes to an alarming 11.6% of batters faced last year, contributing to a 3.68 ERA that made for more of a solid than exceptional platform showing.

There is no indication yet what role he'll fill for the Padres, but there are plenty of openings in the bullpen considering the team is set to lose Josh Hader in free agency. They also let Scott Barlow go, while hybrid pitchers Seth Lugo and Nick Martinez have also signed elsewhere.

The Padres finished third last year in the National League West and missed the playoffs.